Chapter 16
Deep in the forest, in my newfound hidden spot far enough away from the main building and dorms, I glance over at the small rocks I’ve piled together.
I still haven’t figured out how to access the other part of me that seems to know things I shouldn’t or couldn’t possibly know. Or have skills that are far beyond mine.
But maybe I can figure out how to control the energy that slams out of me when I’m frustrated or overwhelmed.
Focusing on the rocks, I think of everything that makes me angry, upset, and frustrated.
Four faces flash across my mind and seconds later the rocks start to shake before slamming into the trees.
Shit. That’s not what I wanted.
Trying again, I calm my mind and this time, I only let my anger build so much before focusing on the rocks and where I want them to go. The rocks shake and I start to think I have this, but my happiness is short-lived when they fly in every direction.
Not ready to give up, I pick up the rocks and place them in a pile once more before getting to work and practicing over and over. Each time, the rocks fly in every other direction than the one I want them too.
Getting increasingly frustrated with myself, I try one last time, taking that frustration and letting it well up inside me before focusing on the small rocks.
Aiming for the thick trunk of a tree in front of me, I focus on it and try to will the rocks into it.
The rocks float up and up and my hope starts to grow, only for them to fly everywhere once more a second later. But this time they’re just as pissed as I am and nearly hit me in the face.
I quickly duck and release a harsh breath before getting to my feet.
My stomach growls and I realize I’ve been at this longer than I thought. It’s already getting dark.
Finally ready to give up, I start making my way through the forest when the feeling of someone watching me crawls down my spine.
Pausing, I glance around and scan the area. Nothing but silence greets me, and there’s no movement among the trees.
I wait another minute before I get moving once more, only managing to take a couple of steps when that feeling crawls down my back once more, making me pause.
Hearing a twig snap, I whip around but something grabs me from the side and moves quicker than my eyes can catch. Within seconds my back is against a thick tree and my silent stalker is staring down at me with a smug smirk.
Malakai.
Once the quick jolt of shock leaves me, I narrow my eyes on the asshole and shove him away from me.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
He chuckles. “I thought you could use a training partner.”
“You thought wrong.” I get moving, hoping he’ll get the message and leave me alone. But apparently he’s just as stubborn as Knox and starts following me instead.
“Train with me for a bit and I’ll make you a deal,” he says, and I whirl on him ready to tell him to go fuck himself.
“I’ll leave you alone for the rest of the week instead of following you around and fucking shit up,” he says and raises a brow.
I watch him for a minute and catch the glint of a promise in his eyes. He’ll do it too, follow me around like a damn stalker.
Fuck. “Fine.”
I glance around realizing we’re still far enough away from the main campus for anyone to see us.
He smirks at me before taking a step back and another and another while his shadows seep out around him.
“What are you doing?” I ask. “I thought you wanted to train.”
“We are. I just thought we’d make it a bit more interesting,” he says as his shadows coil around him. “I’m going to let one of my Shadow Beasts free, and he’s going to hunt you. If I catch you, you have to start talking to me again.”
I narrow my eyes on him as I hide the thrill of excitement rushing through me at the thought of seeing one of his Shadow Beasts up close. But I quickly shove it down reminding myself how pissed I am at them all.
“And if you lose?” I ask him while wondering why the hell I’m even considering doing this.
“Then you get whatever you want.” He raises a brow.
I open my mouth to tell him they can all leave—
“Apart from getting us to leave.” He smirks when I clamp my mouth shut. “That’s never happening, baby.”
He smirks as I roll my eyes at him. “I get a head start,” I tell him.
“Of course,” he says but his voice is now deeper, huskier and with the hint of a growl. His eyes quickly turn black and seconds later his shadows swallow him whole.
Malakai is quickly engulfed by them and replaced by a huge black wolf made from dark shadows.
I stay still as he stalks forward. He doesn’t stop until his large body is standing in front of me, his head reaching mine. He steps forward and brushes against my side as the wisps of his shadows coil around my skin making me shiver.
More of his shadows coil around me as if staking claim to me.
“Mate,” he says, his voice guttural and something about it makes me want to curl into him. “Mine,” he growls as his shadows tighten on my arms and legs. His large head nudges the side of my face, and I feel him as he breathes me in. Breathes in my scent…
Scent… I freeze realizing what he’s doing.
I narrow my eyes on him and find a gleam in his dark eyes as if he knows now that I’ve realized why he decided to use his beast form.
The fucking cheater.
“Run,” he warns before moving back a step.
Mentally kicking myself for making stupid decisions, I grit my teeth and get moving, using my bubbling anger to push my legs faster.
Pushing my legs harder, I make sure I take full advantage of the head start while I try to think of a plan.
He’ll find me soon if he can scent me, so I need a way to hide or block my scent somehow.
Something brushes up against my senses, and I reach out to it. My eyes widen when I’m pulled into the connection with Malakai and watch on through his beast’s eyes as the forest around me grows sharper and more detailed.
“I’ve missed this,” he says, his deep voice low and husky sending a warm shiver down my spine.
I shake it off and try to stay focused. “What? The stalking?”
“I’ve missed seeing the world through your eyes,” he says making me pause.
“Then you shouldn’t have shut me out,” I grit out while trying to find a way to hide from him. There’s no way I can outrun him. Especially in his beast form.
“Never again,” he vows, and I pause once more at the conviction in his voice.
“Maybe it’s too late,” I whisper and feel him still.
“I’m not going anywhere. None of us are. And when I catch you, this time…” he growls. “I’m never letting you go.”
The promise closes in around me trying to lure me in. But I quickly remind myself of all the other promises they’ve made and broke.
I narrow my eyes around me and try to think of something. There’s no way in hell I’m giving up this easily. And then it hits me. My shield.
I quickly block him out making sure he doesn’t see what my plan is and take off one of my tops before I get moving.
I rub my shirt against a few trees hoping to throw him off before hiding it behind the thickest one.
I create a half-shield and use it to climb up a tree while being careful not to touch any part of it and leave my scent on it.
I place the half-shield on a thick branch before stepping on it, crouching down, and covering myself completely.
With the dark night setting in, my shadowy shield seems to blend in helping to conceal me further.
I wait and listen but don’t have to wait long before I hear him. I stay still as possible and watch as Malakai’s beast follows the scent of my top, moving from tree to tree. He growls when he realizes what I’ve done before freezing.
I make myself as still as possible, thinking he’s going to find me. But, after a moment, he turns around and gets moving, rushing in the opposite direction and ultimately falling for my bait-and-switch.
I wait another moment and listen before using my shield as a steppingstone to get down from the tree.
Glancing around once more, I make sure he’s not coming back before heading toward the main campus.
I make it five steps before the wind whips around me, and something comes up from behind me, knocking me down.
I roll onto my back to find Malakai’s Shadow Beast hovering over me.
His beast quickly shrinks and transforms back into Malakai’s human form, fully clothed and with a savage smirk in place.
“Caught you,” he whispers.
“You cheated.” I try to shove him off me, but the fucker is all muscle.
“There were no rules,” he says with nothing but glee in his voice. “I guess you should have been more specific.”
He leans down and starts placing soft kisses along my neck, making me shiver.
“Malakai…”
“I won. Which means you have to start talking to us again.”
“This is not talking,” I point out as he places another kiss on my neck.
“I’ve missed you,” he says, his voice soft, but I’m well past feeling any remorse or guilt for them.
“Then you should have grown some balls and talked to me.” I grind my teeth so hard I nearly break them.
I shove at him, and he lets me up only to quickly move us until my back is against a tree and he’s caging me in once again.
“Malakai—”
“I’m sorry,” he says, and I freeze and find his gaze. He stares at me with nothing but remorse, guilt and… love.
“I’m sorry for being such a fucking idiot,” he leans down and breathes me in while I start to question my sanity. “I’m sorry for leaving you alone to deal with everything.”
“Malakai—”
“I promise to do better,” he says, his eyes pleading with me. “To be better.”
I swallow hard as my mind and heart start to waver.
“I need time,” I tell him while trying to buy myself some time from making a hasty decision based on what I’m feeling right now. He opens his mouth to probably try and convince me otherwise, but I stop him.
“You all decided on your own to block me out so you could deal with what I told you and now just showed up like nothing happened,” I remind him.
His eyes widen. “Sena…. Baby. We didn’t… I mean, we did at first but that’s not—”
“Saying sorry won’t fix everything,” I tell him, and he searches my face for something.
“Then we’ll show you,” he says with a determined expression in his eyes.
“Start by letting me go,” I tell him, and he leans in and looks at me like I’m his entire world.
“I’m never going to let you go,” he rasps before dragging himself away and staring at me like he’d rather do anything else. “But I’ll back off for now,” he promises.
I make my way through the forest and glance over to find him watching me, his fists clenched by his side and a look that tells me he’s seconds away from following me if I don’t get moving.
I turn around and don’t look back, knowing if I do, I might give in to the foolish decisions running through my brain.
It doesn’t take me long to reach the dorms. None of the girls are back yet so I head for the showers.
Once I’m cleaned and changed, I head to bed and force myself to get some sleep.
I slowly drift into the darkness, hoping sleep will claim me soon. But once I’m finally there, I realize I’m not alone.